Literary Terms w/Examples
Figure It Out
Literary Terms - Definitions
Story Quotes
Fix It!
100
Every man has a right to utter what he thinks truth, and every other man has a right to knock him down for it.
What is a balanced sentence (with good parallel structure)?
100
The type of relationship in the following: Put your eggs in a saucepan and cover them with about one-half inch cold water. Heat the pan until the water is simmering and cook like this for seven minutes, using a timer.
What is a time-order relationship (or chronological)?
100
a logical assumption based on observed facts (or facts you've read about)
What is an inference?
100
"as a fit and necessary measure for suppressing said rebellion"
What is "The Emancipation Proclamation"?
100
Three offices were reported robbed by the Atlanta police last week.
What is "Last week, the Atlanta police reported that three offices were robbed."
200
He was a Good Samaritan yesterday when he helped the lady start her car.
What is an allusion (to the Bible)?
200
What can be inferred from the following: Sally arrives at home at 4:30 and knows that her mother does not get off of work until 5. Sally also sees that the lights are off in their house.
What is "that Sally's mother is not home yet"?
200
the writer's position on an issue or problem
What is a claim?
200
"Moon so bright and no place to hide"
What is "Runagate Runagate"?
200
The women wrestled alligators in little black dresses.
What is "The women in little black dresses wrestled alligators." (or) "While wearing little black dresses, the women wrestled alligators."
300
She served sandwiches to the children on paper plates.
What is a misplaced modifier?
300
What tone is in the following passage: There was a steaming mist in all the hollows, and it had roamed in its forlornness up the hill, like an evil spirit, seeking rest and finding none. A clammy and intensely cold mist, it made its slow way through the air in ripples that visibly followed and overspread one another, as the waves of an unwholesome sea might do.
What is evil (secretive, ominous, something like that)?
300
this is not stated directly but is strongly suggested by the supporting details in the passage
What is an implied central idea?
300
"Go where you may, search where you will..."
What is "What to the Slave is the 4th of July?"
300
Having read your letter, our cats will stay indoors until the ducklings fly off.
What is "Having read your letter, we will keep our cats indoors until the ducklings fly off"?
400
Think now: history has many cunning passages and contrived corridors.
What is a metaphor? (History is being compared to a maze or a building that is difficult to maneuver.)
400
What is this alluding to and why does the author use it: You are carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders.
What is "its a reference to Atlas (a myth) and the idea is that you are carrying a burden too large for you"?
400
expresses a position on an issue or a problem and supports it with reasons and evidence
What is an argument?
400
"He has usurped the prerogative of Jehovah himself"
What is "Declaration of Sentiments"?
400
Which is correct: Managing his time well, his work was always completed by the deadline. (or) Working hard on his assignment, Absalom finally completed it.
What is the second one is correct?
500
And the trees all died. They were orange trees. I don’t know why they died, they just died. Something wrong with the soil possibly or maybe the stuff we got from the nursery wasn’t the best. We complained about it. So we’ve got thirty kids there, each kid had his or her own little tree to plant and we’ve got these thirty dead trees. All these kids looking at these little brown sticks, it was depressing.
What is an example of tone (depressing or gloomy)?
500
What is the metaphor - what is being compared - and why? “Hope” is the thing with feathers - That perches in the soul - And sings the tune without the words - And never stops - at all - And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard - And sore must be the storm - That could abash the little Bird That kept so many warm - I’ve heard it in the chillest land - And on the strangest Sea - Yet - never - in Extremity, It asked a crumb - of me.
What is "hope is basically being described as a bird - it something that continues to 'fly' inside of us and can give us encouragement"?
500
the use of similar grammatical constructions to express ideas that are related or equal in importance
What is parallel structure (or parallelism)?
500
"...cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves, and with all nations"
What is Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural Address"?
500
Newspaper Headline: Officer shoots man with machete at New Orleans airport.
What is "Man carrying machete shot by officer at New Orleans airport"?
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